


stuck forever (like the ink in a tattoo)

by nctzncore



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Crushes, Drinking, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Smoking, Tattoos, lip tattoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:34:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25058536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nctzncore/pseuds/nctzncore
Summary: It's just natural that Donghyuck would love the feeling of Mark inside his mouth. His name, of course.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 6
Kudos: 97





	stuck forever (like the ink in a tattoo)

**Author's Note:**

> donghyuck is impulsive big surprise there

Donghyuck is impulsive. He does stupid shit before thinking of the consequences. He’s also starting to think he might be a freak.

He blames it on that stupid purple sign. The glowing neon letters, dressed up in fluorescence that basically lured him into the tattoo parlor. 

_FORCE TATTOOS_

The sign blinked at him. There was a small cardboard sign underneath that read: _25% off lip tattoos_ _TONIGHT ONLY_. He _had_ to. What would be the harm? No one would even ever see it, right? 

He could get a flame, or a dragon. Something _super_ cool. 

But he didn't. No fire, no mystical creature. Just a name in thin wire lines, running across the wet inside of his lower lip. 

_MARK_

As if seeing your best friend romantically wasn't bad enough. He just had to go and mark it on his body forever. 

He’s sitting on Yuta’s bed, hands covering his face. 

“I don't know why I did it,” He groans. “The guy was making me nervous and I couldn't decide on anything and-” Another groan. 

Yuta has this look on his face- sympathy? Confusion? Mostly he just feels sorry for him. 

“I- okay,” He drags the last syllable out. “And you’re telling me this, because?” 

In a way he has a point. It’s not like him and Yuta are astronomically close or anything. He’d recently moved in with them on account of being friends with Jaehyun and needing a place to stay. Donghyuck could've told Jaehyun, or Johnny, even Jungwoo would have probably been a better option. But Yuta is Yuta, and he has piercings of all sorts, tattoos like you wouldn't believe- he’d understand better than anyone else would. 

But he’s looking at Donghyuck like he's gone kind of mad, and he’s honestly a bit unsure what to do. 

“Well you know,” Donghyuck makes a gesture at him with his hand. 

“I don't, actually…” Yuta mutters. 

“You’ve got tattoos.” 

Yuta still has this look on his face like he can't grasp the situation. Still doesnt know what he’s dealing with. 

“Haven't you ever gotten an impulsive tattoo? Without even thinking? Just kinda… did it?” He looks at the older man through wide eyes, kind of unfocused. 

“Not… really.” Yuta shakes his head a little. 

Donghyuck huffs. “Whatever. Sorry, this was stupid. I’ll just,” He waves his hand wildy towards the door. “Go back to my room.” 

Yuta watches him go without a word. 

Donghyuck thinks he’s losing his mind. 

  
It’s every night that Donghyuck stands in front of his sink, fingers pulling his lip down taught over his chin. The word- the name kind of glimmers in the dingy lighting of his off-campus house bathroom. He gets this gross kind of feeling in his stomach. What would Mark say? 

There's a loud bang on the door. 

  
“Hyuck, would you get out of there already? Other people live here, ya know?” Figures it would be Mark. It’s like he can read his mind or something. 

“Yup, sorry.” He grumbles through the wood. He lets himself out, not even sparing a glance at Mark as he brushes past him. But he’s not let off so easy, Mark grabbing his shoulder before he can scurry off to his room. 

“You alright?” The older asks him, his doe-ish eyes boring holes into his skull. He looks good, Donghyuck thinks, then curses himself out for even letting the thought distract him right now.

“Um, yeah?” Donghyuck says, unconvincingly so. “Why?”

Mark tilts his head a little, looks at him funny. There's a confusion lingering behind his eyes. 

“Dunno, haven't really seen you in a few days.”

It’s true. Donghyuck has been avoiding him in fear that somehow Mark’ll be able to see right through the outer flesh of his lips to see his name staring back at him. It’s stupid. Donghyuck can't even bear himself lately. 

“Sorry, busy, school work…” He trails off, not even a coherent sentence. Nice one, Donghyuck. 

Mark just nods slowly at him. 

“Sure. Wanna play Xbox when after I shower, then?”

Donghyuck contemplates it momentarily. He doesn't want to say no, but he also doesn't know how much longer he can keep hiding the tattoo from him. It almost feels like a dirty little secret. Should he have asked permission to get his name inked into his skin? Did he have to? It is his own body. Still, he feels weird. Guilty, even. 

“Yeah.” Donghyuck answered with a brief smile before turning on his heel to walk to his room. 

Mark texts him to come play a little while later. They do for a few hours, Donghyuck eventually forgetting his guilt in the trance of the game. It’s no surprise they easily fall into old habits. Constant joking, always laughing, playing until there's no sun to light up the room anymore. They’ve done it for years, far before they both graduated, moved onto the same college. It was natural for them. Mark went, Donghyuck followed. It wasn't forced, nor unexpected, because that’s how things have always been. Mark and Donghyuck. Donghyuck and Mark. 

They grew up along the way too, experienced all the good and all the bad together. The girlfriends (or lack thereof in Donghyuck’s case), the parties, the friends. Above it all though, they always came out on top. And along the way Donghyuck felt more butterflies, more tingles, more of _Mark_ as they grew into their teen years. 

The light from the TV cast a glow on Donghyuck’s face and Mark watched the shadows dance across his nose, his lips. His _lips_. Mark shook the thought away, looked back at the screen to see his avatar getting beat up. 

Donghyuck shouted something, laughed loudly. It felt normal. 

  
_Fuck Johnny, and fuck this stupid house party_ , is all Donghyuck could think as him and the others walked across campus in the cold. Jaehyun was talking to Mark about something for their economics class, a few steps behind them. Johnny was leading the way, a proud grin lifting his features for getting Donghyuck out of the house.

It’s not that he didn't like to party. Because he did. Just not with 50 other college students whose names he didn't know nor care to learn, getting messily drunk past midnight. 

Mark distracted him from his thoughts, slinging an arm over his shoulder. 

“Come on, free alcohol!” He said, a sweet smile across his lips. Donghyuck could smell his cologne, flowery but manly at the same time. He bought it for Mark. The wind stung his cheeks a little, but his body grew warmer with Mark clinging onto him. 

Donghyuck grunted. “Yippee.” he feigned excitement. 

  
Donghyuck was drunk. Not more than normally so, but enough that his brain was slurring the line between things he should and probably shouldn't say out loud. He stood in the kitchen with Jaehyun, swaying his hips a little as the older popped the cap off another beer for him. 

“Think I wanna go find Mark,” Donghyuck said aloud. 

“Yeah? Think that's the best idea?” Jaehyun asked him, his eyebrow quirking up in the process. He knew Donghyuck liked Mark. It was obvious, actually, the rest of them probably knew too. 

“Not gonna say anything dumb.” He slurred his words. “Don’t worry.” He pointed a thin, waggly finger at him. 

“Not worrying.” Jaehyun said back. 

“Kay.” Donghyuck sang, sauntering off to find Mark. 

He found him in the backyard with Johnny and Yuta, a rolled joint between his fingers. Donghyuck rolled his eyes to himself. He smoked on occasion too, but he wasn't a fan of it when they weren’t at home. 

“Donghyuck!” Mark said over the music. 

“Hi.” He smiled up at him. 

Johnny grabbed the joint from Mark, took a long hit and laughed to himself a little. The smoke rolled around in the cool air and teased at Donghyuck’s nose. 

“Gimme,” Donghyuck said, making grabby hands at Johnny. 

Mark looked at him warily. “You sure?” he asked, his tone slightly motherly. Donghyuck thought it was cute, how he was always doting, 

“One hit won't kill me.” Donghyuck assured him. 

Donghyuck lost track of time. He was sitting in the grass now, circled with the same crowd from before. He leaned his head on Mark’s shoulder as he began to sober up, the familiar dull headache pushing in at his head. 

“Ready to go, Duck?” Mark whispered down at him. 

Duck. Mark used to call him that a lot when they were younger. He mostly just says it now when they're alone, or when Donghyuck’s sad, or drunk. Fitting. 

Johnny called them an Uber and they hauled themselves inside for the short ride home. Donghyuck was mostly coherent by the time they made it inside, his head just swaying with the after effects. He was fine though, nothing out of the normal. He shuffled down the hallway, past Mark’s room, past the bathroom, and was about to walk into his own when Mark called him. 

Donghyuck turned to see him halfway through his door frame. 

“Wanna sleepover?” He said, eyes dark. 

“We live together, Mark.” Donghyuck whispered back. 

“You know what I mean.” Mark almost whined, nodding his head into his room. 

Donghyuck felt the warmth of it. Felt like they were in high school again, sneaking into one of their houses after a night out. He smiled to himself. 

“Yeah. Gimme a sec.”

5 minutes later Donghyuck was curled into Mark’s side, the older’s fingers running lazily through his hair. 

He was teetering on the edge of sleep, eyes shut and heart rate slowing when Mark spoke. 

“Wish I could tell you everything.” It was so quiet, Donghyuck wasn't sure if he imagined it. He fell right asleep though, the words barely entering his consciousness. 

  
More days went by, Donghyuck’s guilt about the tattoo flaming up again. 

“I should just tell him, shouldn’t I?” Donghyuck said, eyes trained on his mirror, Johnny sitting somewhere in the room behind him. 

“Tell who what?” Mark said from the open doorway. 

Donghyuck yelped and turned to Mark with an incredulous look on his face. Johnny glanced nervously at him.

“Mark! What are you doing here?” Donghyuck said, his voice cracking in the middle of the sentence.

Mark walked in the room slowly, confusion frowning over his features. 

“Uh? Your door was open.” He said, pointing behind him. 

Johnny slowly got up from his seat on the younger’s bed, and Donghyuck shot him angry glances, willing him to stay with his mind. But he just snuck past Mark and out the door. 

“Right. Yeah. Hi.” Donghyuck said, stupidly.

“You were talking about…?” Mark prodded.

Donghyuck wanted to disappear into thin air. 

“I did something stupid!” He blurted quickly. He grabbed his lip, pulled it down so it was open for Mark to see. 

Mark blinked hard, moved closer to him, and squinted, peering closer at the tattoo. He reached out slightly almost like he was going to touch it, but he didn't. 

“Dude,” he dragged the word out, disbelief in his voice. He quickly cracked a smile, hitting Donghyuck on the arm.

“That’s sick!” He laughed. “Why me? When?”

Donghyuck was at a loss for words, the situation confusing him more than he could have expected. 

“I… You’re not weirded out?” He spoke slowly. 

Mark shook his head. His eyes were trained on Donghyuck, a smile still tugging at his lips. His face was pulled up with this sort of excitement that made Donghyuck’s stomach flip.

“I didn't know what else to get.” He admitted. “You were the first thing that came to mind.” He scratched the back of his neck, tugged his eyes away from Mark’s. 

Mark hit him again lightly and pulled him in for a hug. It was normal, sweet, Mark. He was soft and he smelled like himself rather than that stupid cologne he wore. (Even if it was the one Donghyuck bought him.) 

“I love it.” He beamed, pulling away. “And I want the matching one.” He started to back up towards the door, smile still on his face. 

“You and me,” he pointed between them. “We’re going tomorrow. Your name, my lip!” He half sang, half yelled, practically bouncing out of his room. 

  
Donghyuck felt like he could faint. 

The next day he walked Mark to the place he got his done. The same 25% off sign was still there and Donghyuck almost felt scammed. The guy who did Donghyuck’s lip was working again and took Mark as his client. 

“I remember you,” The man spoke, pointing at Donghyuck. “How’s the lip holding up?” 

Donghyuck showed him his lip, told him it was good. 

Ten, the tattoo artist, started chatting with Mark, asked him what he wanted. 

“Hyuck.” He said proudly, spelling it out on a sheet of paper for him. “That’s him,” he said, pointing at Donghyuck. “He’s Hyuck.” 

Ten hummed. “So you must be Mark?” 

Mark nodded. He was laying back in the leather chair in Ten’s station, jittery. Donghyuck absentmindedly held his hand, didn't put much thought into it. 

Ten eventually put the needle to Mark’s lower lip and he tensed, hand squeezing Donghyuck’s hard. 

“So you two dating… or?” Ten spoke when he was halfway done with the tattoo. 

Mark’s face flushed, his eyes springing to Donghyuck. The younger laughed nervously.

“Haha, no. Best friends.” He said quietly. Mark gulped. 

Ten just looked between them, nodded like he didn't really believe it. 

When he finished Mark looked in the mirror, admiration lighting up his features. He brushed a finger over Donghyuck’s name and smiled. “Awesome.” He whispered to no one in particular.

They paid, took a few pictures and left, a weird feeling swelling up in Donghyuck’s chest. He would admit that seeing his name inked into Mark’s lower lip made his gut rumble. It felt good knowing that it was his and no one else's. He had the weird urge to lick over it, kiss it. Kiss into Mark’s mouth. He let go of the thought, let it fly away into the air. 

“Can't wait to show the guys.” Mark said next to him. His hair ruffled in the wind, a light pink dusted across his cheeks. 

“You’re gonna show the guys?” Donghyuck asked. 

“Duh.” Mark answered. “It’s like our thing ya know? Our cool best friend thing.” He sounded so happy it made Donghyuck want to cry. 

  
Donghyuck was laying in bed when Mark knocked at his door. His room was dark, lit only by two lamps on either side of his bed. 

Mark walked in awkwardly, fingers wringing through each other. 

“Hey,” he waved weirdly. 

“Hey?” Donghyuck said in question. 

Mark looked small, engulfed in his (Donghyuck’s) sweatshirt. His eyes were dark, but then again Donghyuck could barely see them with the way he was staring at the ground. His socked feet shuffled against the floor with every awkward step he took. 

  
“I think we need to talk.” Mark said quietly, a nervous waver in his voice. 

Donghyuck felt a pit in his stomach, a gaping hole that might just engulf him from the inside out. 

“Um. Okay, yeah? Sit.” Donghyuck patted the bed next to him. 

Mark walked over slowly, giving Donghyuck a brief smile as he sat. 

“Is something wrong?” Donghyuck looked at him wide-eyed. 

“No!” He said eagerly. “I just-” He cut himself off with a loud sigh. 

“I like you?” Mark said, so quietly that Donghyuck almost thought he misheard him. 

“You- what?”

“I’m sorry! I don’t know when it started, but it got bigger and bigger and then you showed me that tattoo and I kind of thought maybe you liked me too? But then I realized how ridiculous that is and I’ve never even liked a boy before but I know I like you and I don't wanna make you uncomfortable-”

“Mark!” Donghyuck cut off his ramble, giggling a bit as he reached for Mark’s hand. 

“I like you too.” He said easily, a grin spreading wide across his face. 

“Really?” His eyes lit up. 

“Yes, Mark.” 

The older squeezed Donghyuck’s hand and let out the breath he’d been holding. 

“Wow,” He sighed, “I’m just- wow.”

Donghyuck laughed at him. 

“Can I kiss you?” 

“Please.” Mark said quietly. 

Donghyuck laid his hand lightly on Mark’s jaw and leaned in slow. Their noses brushed before their mouths met and Donghyuck felt like his heart could burst out of his chest. Mark tasted like mint and honey flavored chapstick. His lips were soft and light on his own. 

Mark hummed, kissed Donghyuck a little bit harder, nibbled on his lower lip. He gripped the base of Donghyuck’s neck, carding his fingers through his light brown locks. Donghyuck leaned in more, stopping every so often to look into Mark’s eyes. They glowed like amber in the soft lighting and Donghyuck felt like he could fall right into them if he stared long enough. He was so warm, so full of delight. 

“I’ve never kissed a boy.” Mark whispered, a little out of breath. 

“Well what’s the verdict?” Donghyuck said sweetly, leaving kisses along his jaw. 

“Way better than any girl could ever kiss me.” 

Donghyuck hummed in satisfaction, meeting his mouth to Mark’s again. He licked across his bottom lip, trying to see if Mark would let his lips fall open for Donghyuck. 

He did. 

Donghyuck licked into his mouth, hot and wet. They kissed open-mouthed, swallowing each other's noises. Donghyuck licked over his teeth, into the bottom of his mouth, and right over his own name imprinted in Mark’s lip. He just barely felt the texture of it, but knowing it was there made his stomach burn. 

“I'm so glad you like me.” Mark said, pulling away. 

“How could I not?” 

And Donghyuck thought about it seriously. He never stood a chance against Mark’s warm smiles, his soft hands, big eyes. He was a dead man from the start. His heart always belonged to Mark Lee. 

Donghyuck never felt regret about his lip tattoo again. He even swore he'd get it touched up once it started to fade. 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed this!! leave a comment :)


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